The present invention relates to a modular house construction, and, more particularly, to a molded wall panel for pre-assembled house construction.
Buying a home is one of the most significant investments a consumer can make. Home buyers want to live in a modern home with all the presently available conveniences. Unfortunately, buying a home similar to the one they grew up in, with all the “gingerbread” and detail, has become cost-prohibitive and many home buyers have to settle for homes with which they are not happy.
Past attempts have been made at decreasing the cost of home construction by prefabricating certain portions of the home off-site. However, known modular house units have failed to provide an equivalent finished home as compared to homes which are built completely on-site. Known prefabricated home units, which may have resulted in initial cost savings, are relatively simple units which do not portray any unique architectural features with respect to other units. Additionally, these known modular units are not constructed with the equivalent structural integrity and quality as traditionally built homes.
Accordingly, there is a need for prefabricated wall and roof units and house components which:                are modular;        may be wholly constructed off-site;        may have a resilient exterior which replicates the look of virtually any building material and allows for design flexibility;        have injected insulation;        reduce maintenance requirements;        allow for construction in a quality controlled environment;        allow for wiring harnesses and plumbing designed into the structure; and        reduces the cost and time for quality home construction.        
The home constructed from the modular house component of the present invention is preferably based on a framework of welded steel and a sheet steel floor deck. In the preferred embodiment, a ceramic, or a resin porcelain laminated, exterior panel is attached to a steel frame. The exterior, or external, panel may be molded to replicate the look of any building material available. The interior walls are preferably dry-walled and painted. Structural insulating foam is preferably injected between the exterior and interior panels. The home constructed from the walls of the present invention may be placed on any type of traditional building foundation.
The wiring harness, plumbing, and HVAC may be designed into the structure. The interior finishes are preferably typical of present housing fixtures: wood trim, cabinets, counter tops, appliances, plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, and floor coverings. The roof may also be made of welded structural steel and finished with a resin porcelain laminated exterior panel, molded to replicate the appropriate look of any roofing materials desired. The exterior panel of the present invention is a resilient exterior house wall which:                can be molded to replicate popular building materials and architectural features;        is resistant to fire;        maintains interior environmental temperatures better than traditional homes;        is resistant to termites and other rodents;        can be glued to a steel house frame; and        which can be prefabricated in an off-site, quality controlled, environment; and        can be repeatedly molded from one manufactured mold.        
The exterior, or external, panels are molded and attached, preferably, to steel frames off-site. The steel frames have openings for the insertion of windows and doors, or any other building fixture. The steel frames are preferably welded, off-site, to a framework of upright beams and floor panels. Interior, dry-walled, panels are preferably attached to the steel frames. Foam insulation is preferably injected into the space between the exterior and interior panels. These components, once assembled, define a prefabricated modular house component which may be assembled off-site in a quality controlled environment. Decorative details such as carpet, light fixtures, decorative borders and wallpaper, cabinets, and electrical outlets may all be installed at the factory. Once completed, the modular house component may be transported to the building site, via truck, where the house component may be easily assembled to the foundation and other modular house components and roof units. Once the foundation has been built, and the modular house component built off-site, the actual house can be assembled on-site within a matter of a few days.
The prefabricated wall and roof units, and accordingly the modular house components, of the present invention may be constructed in an efficient, quality controlled, environment remote from the building site. The modular house components and roof units may then be transported to the building site for efficient installation. The method of the present invention allows for the construction of homes with unique external architectural features while saving costs and without sacrificing quality.
In addition to the features mentioned above, objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent upon a reading of the following description.